Kitchen of the Week: White, Walnut and Brass in an 1840 Farmhouse
An addition to a Massachusetts home creates a bright, spacious chef’s kitchen with white cabinetry and warm woods
Caroline and Bill Balz spent four years thinking about how they were going to create a new kitchen in their historic 1840 farmhouse that sits on a former dairy farm in Weston, Massachusetts. They realized that renovating inside wasn’t going to work, so they looked outward, deciding to build an addition that got them a spacious, modern kitchen, as well as a new master bedroom and family room.
The couple worked with kitchen designer Jennifer Stuart to help turn their years-long dream into reality, opting for crisp white cabinets warmed by walnut and brass accents.
The couple worked with kitchen designer Jennifer Stuart to help turn their years-long dream into reality, opting for crisp white cabinets warmed by walnut and brass accents.
A 48-inch stainless steel gas range and oversize hood sit center stage in the cooking area. Stuart says that because Bill is a serious home cook and cooking is all about timing, they made sure to keep all the elements within arm’s reach.
A pullout cabinet with two baskets to the left of the range holds spices and oils, while a long and narrow cabinet to the right stores trays and cutting boards. “It’s not a ‘poseur’ kitchen; it gets hard-core use because of my husband’s love of cooking,” Caroline says.
Polished chrome pulls with walnut inserts and crystal knobs add a finishing touch to the timeless cabinets and drawers.
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A pullout cabinet with two baskets to the left of the range holds spices and oils, while a long and narrow cabinet to the right stores trays and cutting boards. “It’s not a ‘poseur’ kitchen; it gets hard-core use because of my husband’s love of cooking,” Caroline says.
Polished chrome pulls with walnut inserts and crystal knobs add a finishing touch to the timeless cabinets and drawers.
Shop for gas and electric ranges on Houzz
Making the wrapped vent hood 6 feet wide — so it extends well past the range on either side — allows for proper ventilation and keeps the hood in proportion with the other elements in the room, Stuart says. “What’s consistent in this kitchen is everything is larger in scale,” she says.
Large corbels and an X detail on the hood nod to the farmhouse style of the property.
Slabs of marble-look quartz form the countertops as well as the backsplash. “It has some brown tones to it that bring in the walnut wood we used,” Caroline says. “And the upright backsplash reflects the light from the windows, which adds some depth to the feel of the kitchen.”
Large corbels and an X detail on the hood nod to the farmhouse style of the property.
Slabs of marble-look quartz form the countertops as well as the backsplash. “It has some brown tones to it that bring in the walnut wood we used,” Caroline says. “And the upright backsplash reflects the light from the windows, which adds some depth to the feel of the kitchen.”
The upper cabinets on either side of the range feature bifold doors, an ergonomic choice that allows Bill to easily access the contents without having to reach around a cabinet door when cooking.
This view also shows the nonstructural hand-hewn reclaimed-wood beam in the ceiling. “We wanted to add texture, and I wanted to balance out the more elegant details in the kitchen,” Caroline says.
This view also shows the nonstructural hand-hewn reclaimed-wood beam in the ceiling. “We wanted to add texture, and I wanted to balance out the more elegant details in the kitchen,” Caroline says.
The natural walnut drawers that flank the range offer storage for pots, pans, mixing bowls and ramekins. The drawers include user-friendly cup pulls on top for easy access. “My husband wanted monster drawers,” Caroline says. “They’re thick and strong.”
The rustic drawers also offered another chance to add warmth to the room. “Whenever you’re doing a bright white kitchen, you need texture and a natural element to add timelessness,” Stuart says.
The rustic drawers also offered another chance to add warmth to the room. “Whenever you’re doing a bright white kitchen, you need texture and a natural element to add timelessness,” Stuart says.
This top drawer in the island holds the couple’s collection of brushed brass flatware. “Literally mapping out where each kitchen item would go with Jennifer was extremely helpful,” Caroline says.
Additional drawers on the island store measuring cups, a garlic press and other cooking items.
Additional drawers on the island store measuring cups, a garlic press and other cooking items.
This wider view of the kitchen between the island and range looking toward the butler’s pantry highlights the 4-inch French white oak floorboards, which add warmth and coordinate with the other wood in the room.
The butler’s pantry acts as an extension of the kitchen and allows the family to organize items by priority. This handy space features a rich walnut backsplash.
The pantry includes both open and closed storage, with walnut shelves for cookbooks, counters for serving trays, drawers for entertaining items, and attractive textured glass and wire-front cabinets for storage of small appliances. “We decided it was time to go big or go home,” Stuart says.
Now the couple have the attractive and functional kitchen they wanted, with a style that fits their house. “We love it because it’s really the heart of the home, and everything has a place,” Caroline says.
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The pantry includes both open and closed storage, with walnut shelves for cookbooks, counters for serving trays, drawers for entertaining items, and attractive textured glass and wire-front cabinets for storage of small appliances. “We decided it was time to go big or go home,” Stuart says.
Now the couple have the attractive and functional kitchen they wanted, with a style that fits their house. “We love it because it’s really the heart of the home, and everything has a place,” Caroline says.
More on Houzz
12 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look and Feel Bigger
See more Kitchens of the Week
Get kitchen design ideas
Find a general contractor near you
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Caroline Balz, a mental health counselor and designer-owner of Psychological Interiors; her husband, Bill, a real estate developer; and their two young sons
Location: Weston, Massachusetts
Size: About 250 square feet (23 square meters)
Designer: Jennifer Stuart of Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops
The kitchen addition revolves around a user-friendly center island positioned under three stylish globe pendants with a hand-rubbed antiqued brass finish. The island includes a deep, single-bowl undermount stainless steel sink with a polished chrome two-handle bridge faucet. “We love having the sink in the center island so we can look out on the farmland while doing dishes,” Caroline says.
The stools at the island, made of solid kiln-dried rubberwood, give the family a spot for casual meals. (There’s also a breakfast table parallel to the island, not shown, by a large window.) The stools are one of the rich wood details that offer contrast to the custom arctic white square-inset cabinets and drawers.
The large side-by-side paneled refrigerator-freezer and a paneled dishwasher by the sink in the island help the kitchen maintain an elegant look.
A snack area with a microwave drawer sits to the right of the island, just outside a butler’s pantry. This area gives the couple’s sons a spot to make a sandwich or snack out of the way of the main cooking area.
Strategically placed countertops also help ensure the chef has room to work. “My husband’s big thing was that every counter was at least 48 inches away from another counter so two people can pass and you can still get by,” Caroline says.
The couple turned their previous small and dated kitchen into a mudroom.
Wall paint: Gray Owl, Benjamin Moore; custom cabinets and drawers: Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops; cabinet pulls: Manor, Water Street Brass; crystal knobs: Providence, Emtek; island pendants: Thomas OBrien Hicks 2, Visual Comfort
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